Typewriter interview with James Kochalka

11 questions for the cartoonist about art, life, and why he doesn't understand the word “hobby”

Jul 28, 2026

∙ Paid

Do you see yourself as part of an artistic lineage? Who would you place in your creative family tree? Back in art school I used to worry about my place and position. Never since then. I love everything! All art, all music, ALL MANKIND.

Hey y’all,

James Kochalka is an award-winning cartoonist of classics such as Monkey vs Robot and American Elf. He’s recorded several albums under the name James Kochalka Superstar and developed animated cartoons for Nickelodeon and Cartoon Hangover. To celebrate today’s release of his latest book, Johnny Boo: On The Go, I’m excited to share this typewriter interview we conducted via the magic of the United States Postal Service. (For a plain-text version with links, see the P.S. below.)

I “smoke” a cigarette pencil in the studio. Do you perform any silly rituals when you’re working? I often have to stop drawing and run to the piano... Because ideas breed ideas.

Almost 20 years ago, you said, “I’m trying to fully integrate everything. So the transition from work to play to everyday life is all seamless... so that it’s all one thing. There’s no difference between living and making art...” Is this still your M.O. and has anything changed? Art and life are one. That process is complete. It has now bled over into my dreams too.

Do you have any hobbies? Do you collect anything? The word HOBBY doesn’t make sense to me. It’s all just STUFF I DO. Are hobbies just the part of the process that no one pays me for? But I guess I collect amateur ceramics.

What do you do for exercise? Do you detect any mental, spiritual, or creative benefits? I walk outside Excellent for mental health, plus I usually write a song. I do my age in pushups! [58] (I think this started as a joke)

John Waters says he has “youth spies” that keep him up-to-date on culture. Do you have any youth spies? I might be old but I’m still young. I’m aggressively curious. I need my mind blown.

What career would you like to attempt if you weren’t doing what you’re doing? I would like to be a playwright, or do ceramics, or be a professional actor, or start a brewery or something and do my own product design, or be a prose author, or be an art proffessor, or work in advertising, or design video games, or be a paid consultant, or be a farmer, or a forager, or podcaster or animator...

“What did you do as a child that made the hours pass like minutes?” (C. Jung) Now that I’m an adult EVERY hour passes like minutes. There’s so little time in a day.

Describe a perfect day where you live. Some time for art. Some time for music. Great food Time outside. Time with family and friends. Sunshine or snow usually... but sometimes rain is perfect too. Sex with Amy. Some time for video games.

What is it about cats? Animals are people.

Do you have any advice for people who want to be more creative? I do, but I should write my own book. The title will be “How To Be A Genius.”

Big thanks to James for being the 24rd participant in this series of typewriter interviews. If you liked this interview, buy a copy of Johnny Boo: On The Go and support him on Patreon.

Shout-out to paid subscribers who buy me the time to do all the email coordinating, typing, snail-mailing, scanning, transcribing, and editing that goes into these! You can make more of these happen with a click of a button:

xoxo,

Austin

P.S. James’ sketchbook comic American Elf was on my list of 7 books that helped me learn from my kids.

Here’s the plain text of our interview:

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